Santiago Abascal, leader of far-right Spanish party VOX, landed in Israel on Tuesday night and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Diaspora Minister Amichai Chikli.
During the meeting, he told Netanyahu there would be “No prizes for terrorism. No state for Palestine”.
He expressed unreserved support for Israel’s war goals: the elimination of Hamas and the return of the hostages.
Abascal’s visit comes a week after Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced Spain would recognize Palestine as a state.
Sanchez’s announcement came simultaneously with Ireland and Norway’s announcements. All three were criticized across the Israeli political spectrum for rewarding terrorism.
Domestic political troubles
Sanchez was also accused of using the announcement to distract from domestic political troubles.
In one case, his wife was accused of corruption last month and charged with committing the crime of influence peddling and corruption in business in her private dealings.
The former Transport Minister, Jose Luis Abalos, resigned from Parliament and the party in February after corruption charges were leveled at his deputy for a fraud scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sanchez’s Deputy Prime Minister, Yolanda Diaz, added fuel to the fire by announcing last week that “from the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free” during a video message.
Abascal toured the City of David in Jerusalem on Wednesday, accompanied by Chikli.
“Today in Jerusalem, I understand more than ever the attachment of the people of Israel to Jerusalem,” Abascal said.
During the tour, he criticized Sanchez for being disconnected from reality and the Spanish people, accusing him of acting “out of personal political needs.”
“Any decision he makes that harms the people of Israel will be canceled by me,” Abascal added.
Alluding to ongoing political issues in Spain regarding Catalonia and the Basque Country, he said, “We face a similar thing in Spain – all kinds of groups that claim sovereignty based on nothing and nothing.”
Chikli thanked Abascal and his party for their support of Israel and supporting the fight against Jihadist terror.